Think Remarkable

Think Remarkable Plot Summary

Introduction

Jane Goodall was just a young woman with a dream when she first stepped into the forests of Gombe in Tanzania. Without formal university training, armed only with patience, curiosity, and a notebook, she revolutionized our understanding of chimpanzees and, by extension, ourselves. What made this ordinary young woman accomplish something so extraordinary? The answer lies not in her background or circumstances, but in her remarkable blend of persistent grit and humble grace. This interplay between determination and compassion forms the foundation of true leadership. Through intimate portraits of extraordinary individuals—from tech visionaries who transformed industries to activists who changed social landscapes—we witness how the journey from ordinary to remarkable often follows a similar path. It begins with a growth mindset that embraces challenges, develops through the gritty persistence needed to overcome obstacles, and matures into the grace that allows leaders to uplift others. These stories reveal that remarkable lives aren't built on natural talent or privilege but on cultivated traits that anyone can develop with intention and practice.

Chapter 1: Embracing Growth: The Mindset That Transforms Ordinary to Extraordinary

When Steve Jobs was fired from Apple in 1985, the company he co-founded, he could have retreated into bitterness and defeat. Instead, he later reflected: "Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me." During his time away, Jobs purchased Pixar and founded NeXT, experiences that expanded his vision and skills. When he eventually returned to Apple, he brought with him a transformed perspective that helped resurrect the failing company and turn it into the most valuable company in the world. This pattern of growth through adversity appears repeatedly in remarkable lives. Consider Julia Child, who didn't learn to cook until her mid-thirties, yet became one of the most influential culinary figures in America. Or Jane Goodall, whose lack of formal academic training allowed her to observe chimpanzees with fresh eyes, making discoveries that seasoned scientists had missed. What these individuals share isn't extraordinary natural talent but rather an extraordinary response to challenge and change. For Raquel Willis, growth meant embracing her identity as a transgender woman. As she explained, her transition from "a little black boy in the American South to the woman that I am today" wasn't just physical but psychological. She learned to trust her inner voice "even when the world doesn't understand" and to see every setback as an opportunity for development rather than a permanent obstacle. This mindset—what psychologist Carol Dweck calls the "growth mindset"—is the foundation of remarkable achievement. People with growth mindsets believe their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. They see failure not as evidence of unchangeable limitations but as a springboard for growth. This perspective turns challenges into opportunities, criticism into guidance, and setbacks into setups for comebacks. It's the first essential step in the journey from ordinary to extraordinary—a journey available to anyone willing to embrace change rather than fear it.

Chapter 2: Vulnerability as Strength: Finding Power in Imperfection

When Andrea Lytle Peet was diagnosed with ALS at age 33, doctors gave her three to five years to live. As her body began to fail her, she faced a choice: retreat from life or embrace it despite her vulnerability. She chose the latter, embarking on an audacious quest to complete a marathon in all fifty states. "I remember just after my diagnosis I was sitting in the car crying," she recalls. "I was so depressed, and I looked up and I just realized that I can be depressed, or I can live my life now. Time will pass the same way either way." Using a recumbent trike as her body weakened, Andrea pushed forward, facing not only the physical challenges of her disease but also institutional barriers. When the Boston Marathon rejected her application because her recumbent trike didn't fit their rules, she didn't give up. Instead, she completed the marathon course the day before the official race, demonstrating that vulnerability, when paired with determination, becomes an unstoppable force. This paradoxical strength in vulnerability appears in the stories of many remarkable individuals. Garrett McNamara, who holds records for surfing some of the world's largest waves, admits that when he was sixteen, "I wouldn't go out over ten feet. I was terrified." His journey from fear to accomplishment didn't happen through denying vulnerability but by acknowledging it, then gradually building confidence through progressive challenges. The business world provides equally powerful examples. Apple's most innovative products emerged after the company experienced humbling failures like the Newton and the Lisa computer. These "vulnerabilities" became learning opportunities that informed later successes. Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, by contrast, cultivated an image of invulnerability, hiding problems rather than addressing them—a strategy that ultimately led to fraud convictions. The transformative power of vulnerability challenges our conventional understanding of strength. True resilience doesn't come from being invulnerable to failure but from falling, learning, and rising again. This capacity to embrace imperfection while continuing to move forward represents the second essential quality in remarkable lives—one that allows growth to continue even when the path becomes difficult and uncertain.

Chapter 3: Planting Seeds of Purpose: How Small Beginnings Lead to Remarkable Outcomes

Behind Guy Kawasaki's hill house in California stands a denuded slope where invasive eucalyptus trees once grew. Determined to replant with native oaks, he gathered hundreds of acorns, tested them by dropping them in water (the good ones sink), and planted them with care. Yet despite meticulous attention, most acorns failed to sprout. Those that did grow emerged unpredictably, sometimes from the least promising seeds. The oak-planting process serves as a perfect metaphor for how remarkable lives unfold—through planting many seeds, nurturing them all, and accepting that you can't predict which ones will flourish. Steve Jobs captured this principle in his famous Stanford commencement address: "You can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward." Jobs couldn't have known that his youthful interest in calligraphy would later inform the revolutionary typography of the Macintosh, just as Jane Goodall couldn't have predicted that working as Louis Leakey's secretary would lead to groundbreaking primate research. Derek Sivers exemplifies this principle perfectly. As a seventeen-year-old musician, he accepted a $75 gig playing guitar at a "pig show." This humble beginning led to a job in a circus, which eventually grew into over 1,000 performances. "All of these things, such a massive experience, because I said yes to the $75 pig-show gig," he reflects. "I just said yes to everything, which is a wonderful strategy early in your career." This pattern of small, unpredictable beginnings yielding remarkable outcomes appears consistently across fields. Jonathan Conyers, who grew up with crack-addicted parents and faced homelessness, joined a high school debate team simply to avoid trouble in the cafeteria. This seemingly minor decision connected him with mentors who helped transform his life, eventually leading to a college degree and a future far beyond what his circumstances predicted. The seed-planting philosophy teaches us patience and perspective. Remarkable achievements rarely spring fully-formed from flash insights but grow gradually from small actions taken consistently over time. By planting many seeds—pursuing diverse interests, making unexpected connections, saying yes to small opportunities—we create the conditions for remarkable outcomes, even when we can't predict exactly which seeds will thrive or how they will connect to form our ultimate path.

Chapter 4: Beyond Eureka: Turning Vision into Reality Through Grit

When most people think of innovation, they imagine the "Eureka!" moment—a flash of insight where an idea emerges fully formed. The reality is far different. After Tony Fadell created the iPod, iPhone, and Nest thermostat—three of Time's "50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time"—he reflected that ideas themselves are relatively easy. The true challenge lies in implementation, in transforming vision into reality through sustained, often unglamorous effort. This truth is vividly illustrated by Chris Bertish's extraordinary achievement as the first person to paddle solo across the Atlantic Ocean. His 93-day journey required not just the vision to imagine such a feat but the grit to endure shark-infested waters, equipment failures, and crushing isolation. His "proof of concept" for this seemingly impossible goal was a solo paddle along 350 kilometers of South Africa's treacherous west coast—a grueling test that proved to himself and others that his larger vision was achievable through determined action. Angela Duckworth, who literally wrote the book on grit, defines it as "passion and perseverance for very long-term goals." This quality appears consistently in remarkable lives. Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva, pitched her company to 300 venture capitalists over three years before securing funding. Temple Grandin revolutionized livestock handling by crawling through cattle chutes herself to understand why animals balked, then persisting through decades of resistance to her ideas. The journey beyond eureka requires more than just persistence. It demands specific practices that sustain long-term effort. Julia Cameron's daily ritual of writing three pages of longhand text every morning exemplifies the power of routine in creative achievement. Barry Nalebuff's negotiation philosophy of "giving the other side what it wants" demonstrates how strategic approaches can overcome obstacles that raw determination alone cannot solve. Grit represents the bridge between inspiration and impact, between what might be and what is. It transforms potential into reality through consistent, directed effort over time. While a growth mindset opens us to possibility and vulnerability gives us resilience in the face of setbacks, grit provides the sustained forward motion necessary to achieve meaningful results. It's the quality that ensures our seeds of purpose not only sprout but grow into sturdy trees capable of withstanding life's inevitable storms.

Chapter 5: The Art of Selling Dreams: Turning Believers into Builders

In 2010, Derek Sivers created one of marketing's most illuminating videos by analyzing footage from the Sasquatch Music Festival. The video shows a shirtless man dancing alone on a hillside. Initially, people stare at this "lone nut" with skepticism. Then one person joins him, transforming him from a crazy person into a leader. A second follower creates a group. Soon dozens join, and what began as one person's eccentric behavior becomes a movement that others rush to join. This simple video perfectly captures how remarkable visions spread—not through mass persuasion but through converting early believers who help legitimize and amplify the original idea. This principle appears repeatedly in the stories of influential leaders. When Olivia Julianna, a young political activist, was body-shamed by Congressman Matt Gaetz, she transformed this attack into an opportunity, raising $2.5 million for abortion rights. Her response wasn't just clever—it followed specific principles of effective influence. She built a broad coalition, clearly articulated her goal, and made participation easy. "Every single time you have attention," she explains, "that is an opportunity to catalyze change." The psychology of influence permeates successful dream-selling. Bob Cialdini, the renowned expert on persuasion, outlines principles that remarkable leaders intuitively understand: creating likability, demonstrating expertise, tapping into social proof, fostering unity, and providing reciprocity. These elements create the conditions for ideas to spread organically from person to person rather than being forced through hard selling. Lin-Manuel Miranda demonstrates another essential aspect of dream-selling: showing up in person. While filming In the Heights, Miranda took time from his packed schedule to speak with neighborhood extras, expressing his appreciation for their participation. This personal touch transformed them from participants into evangelists for his vision. As director Jon M. Chu observed, "That's the sign of a true leader." The art of selling dreams isn't about manipulation but about connection—finding common ground, telling compelling stories, and creating opportunities for others to participate meaningfully in bringing visions to life. When we learn to engage others in our dreams, we transform our limited individual capacity into a collective force capable of remarkable achievement. This skill bridges the gap between personal grit and the grace-filled leadership that ultimately creates lasting impact.

Chapter 6: Leading with Example: Grace in Action and Decision-Making

Carol Dweck, renowned for her work on growth mindset, attended the memorial service of Chris Webster, a limousine driver who had transported her to speaking engagements for years. Among hundreds of wealthy executives and Silicon Valley luminaries who had used his services, only Dweck showed up to honor this man's life. This simple act of grace speaks volumes about her character—revealing that she didn't view Chris as merely "a driver" but as a person worthy of respect and honor regardless of status. This quality of grace—a generosity of spirit that values people for their humanity rather than their utility—distinguishes truly remarkable leaders from merely successful ones. Stanley McChrystal, the four-star general who commanded international forces in Afghanistan, exemplifies grace through his approach to leadership under pressure. In his book Risk: A User's Guide, he shares how effective leaders reduce unnecessary risks while increasing their team's resilience, creating an environment where people feel confident to act decisively even in uncertain situations. Grace in leadership often manifests through simple yet powerful practices. Ellen Langer, Harvard psychologist and "mother of mindfulness," advocates for the power of saying "I don't know"—perhaps the most transformative phrase in leadership. Acknowledging uncertainty adds credibility to what you do know, demonstrates humility, and creates space for collaborative problem-solving. As Langer notes, "The way we think we should make decisions is that you know what's going to happen... Wrong! Nobody does it. It doesn't make sense to do it... Since you can't make the right decision, make the decision right." Geoffrey Cohen, Stanford professor, describes how "good situations" enable people to perform at their best. These environments provide opportunities for growth and learning, foster cooperation and cohesion, and offer abundant feedback and recognition. Creating such conditions requires leaders to communicate vision clearly, establish high standards for everyone (including themselves), provide adequate resources, and then—crucially—get out of people's way. Grace in leadership transforms an organization's culture from within. It creates environments where people feel valued, challenges are approached with confidence, and mistakes become opportunities for growth rather than occasions for blame. This quality doesn't replace the need for vision, growth mindset, or grit—but it magnifies their impact by creating the conditions where others can develop these same qualities. Through grace, remarkable individuals extend their influence beyond their own achievements to nurture the potential greatness in others.

Chapter 7: Taking the High Road: How Remarkable People Make a Difference

When a white woman approached Guy Kawasaki outside his San Francisco home and asked, "Do you do lawns too?"—assuming he was a gardener because of his Japanese ancestry—his immediate reaction was indignation. Later, when he recounted the story to his father, expecting shared outrage, his father surprised him: "Statistically, where you live, she was probably right, so don't get upset and make yourself crazy." This pivotal moment taught him to give people the benefit of the doubt and not look for trouble—a lesson in taking the high road that transformed his approach to difficult interactions. Taking the high road means focusing on what matters while letting go of petty grievances. It's exemplified by Jacob Martinez, director of Digital NEST, who received a multi-million-dollar grant from MacKenzie Scott's foundation. What made this remarkable wasn't just the amount but the approach—no application process, no reporting requirements, just "We like what you're doing. We trust you. Go do it." This represents "success oblige"—the understanding that achievement brings responsibility to support others. Daniel Pink's World Regret Project, which collected regrets from 19,000 people across 105 countries, reveals that our deepest regrets typically fall into four categories: foundation regrets (not doing the work to build a stable platform for life), boldness regrets (not taking chances), connection regrets (letting relationships drift apart), and moral regrets (not acting with integrity). These patterns show what truly matters in a remarkable life—building strong foundations, acting with courage, nurturing relationships, and maintaining moral integrity. Stacey Abrams, despite losing two gubernatorial races in Georgia, continues to make a profound difference through her voter registration efforts that helped elect two Democratic senators in 2020. Her personal creed captures the essence of the remarkable life: "Be curious. Ask questions, try to think about things, especially different ideas... Solve problems. I am deeply discomforted by just knowing something's wrong and not doing something about it... Do good. If you know that there's something out there, try to do good." This creed elegantly summarizes the journey from ordinary to remarkable: curiosity fuels growth, problem-solving requires grit, and doing good embodies grace. Together, these qualities enable us to navigate life's challenges with dignity and purpose, transforming setbacks into stepping stones toward meaningful contribution. The high road isn't the easiest path, but it's the one that leads to lives of lasting impact and fulfillment—lives that inspire others to discover their own capacity for remarkableness.

Summary

The journey from ordinary to remarkable doesn't follow a single pathway but rather unfolds through stages of intentional development. It begins with the courage to grow—to embrace change, acknowledge vulnerability, and plant diverse seeds of purpose without knowing which will flourish. It continues through the grit to persist—transforming vision into reality through consistent effort, selling dreams that inspire others, and maintaining focus despite obstacles. And it culminates in the grace to elevate—leading by example, creating environments where others can thrive, and taking the high road even when the low road seems easier. What separates remarkable individuals isn't innate talent or fortunate circumstances but rather their response to life's inevitable challenges. They approach obstacles with curiosity rather than defeat, view setbacks as temporary rather than permanent, and measure success by impact rather than accolades. As Stacey Abrams encapsulates in her three-part creed—be curious, solve problems, do good—the pathway to remarkable living is available to anyone willing to embrace its disciplines. The seeds of remarkableness exist within each of us, waiting only for the right mindset, persistence, and compassion to bring them to full flower. By cultivating these qualities in our own lives, we not only transform our personal journey but create ripples that extend far beyond our immediate reach, inspiring others to discover their own capacity for remarkable living.

About Author

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Guy Kawasaki

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1954. My family lived in a tough part of Honolulu called Kalihi Valley. We weren’t rich, but I never felt poor-because my mother and father made many sacrifices for my sister and me. My mother was a housewife, and my father was a fireman, real estate broker, state senator, and government official during his long, distinguished career.I attended Iolani School where I graduated in 1972. Iolani is not as well known as its rival, Punahou because no presidents of the U. S. went there, but I got a fantastic and formative education there. (Punahou is “USC,” and Iolani is “Stanford”—but I digress.) I pay special tribute to Harold Keables, my AP English teacher.He taught me that the key to writing is editing. No one in the universe would be more shocked that I have written ten books (or one book ten times) than Harold Keables.After Iolani, I matriculated to Stanford; I graduated in 1976 with a major in psychology—which was the easiest major I could find. I loved Stanford. I sometimes wish I could go back in time to my undergraduate days “on the farm.”After Stanford, I attended the law school at U.C. Davis because, like all Asian-American parents, my folks wanted me to be a “doctor, lawyer, or dentist.” I only lasted one week because I couldn’t deal with the law school teachers telling me that I was crap and that they were going to remake me.The following year I entered the MBA program at UCLA. I liked this curriculum much better. While there, I worked for a fine-jewelry manufacturer called Nova Stylings; hence, my first real job was literally counting diamonds. From Nova, its CEO Marty Gruber, and my Jewish colleagues in the jewelry business, I learned how to sell, and this skill was vital to my entire career.I remained at Nova for a few years until the the Apple II removed the scales from my eyes. Then I went to work for an educational software company called EduWare Services. However, Peachtree Software acquired the company and wanted me to move to Atlanta. “I don’t think so.” I can’t live in a city where people call sushi “bait.”Luckily, my Stanford roommate, Mike Boich, got me a job at Apple; for giving me my chance at Apple, I owe Mike a great debt. When I saw what a Macintosh could do, the clouds parted and the angels started singing. For four years I evangelized Macintosh to software and hardware developers and led the charge against world-wide domination by IBM. I also met my wife Beth at Apple during this timeframe—Apple has been very good to me.Around 1987, my job at Apple was done. Macintosh had plenty of software by then, so I left to start a Macintosh database company called ACIUS. It published a product called 4th Dimension. To this day, 4th Dimension remains a great database.I ran ACIUS for two years and then left to pursue my bliss of writing, speaking, and consulting. I’ve written for Macuser, Macworld, and Forbes. I call these the “Wonder Years” as in “I wonder how I came to deserve such a good life.”In 1989, I started another software company called Fog City Software with three of the best co-founders in the world: Will Mayall, Kathryn Henkens, and Jud Spencer. We created an email product called Emailer which we sold to Claris and then a list server product called LetterRip.In 1995 I returned to Apple as an Apple fellow. At the time, according to the pundits, Apple was supposed to die. (Apple should have died about ten times in the past twenty years according to the pundits.) My job on this tour of duty was to maintain and rejuvenate the Macintosh cult.A couple years later, I left Apple to start an angel investor matchmaking service called Garage.com with Craig Johnson of Venture Law Group and Rich Karlgaard of Forbes. Version 2.0 of Garage.com was an investment bank for helping entrepreneurs raise money from venture capitalists. Today, version 3.0 of Garage.com is called Garage Technology Ven

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